Spinning device



July 10, 1951 E. s. REID SPINNING DEVICE Filed Oct. 16. 1950 8 M 6 Ni 0 i mmasw A TTUIV/VEVJ Patented July 10, 1951 SPINNING DEVICE Edward S. Reid, Hartsville, S. 0., assignor to Sonoco Products Company, a corporation of South Carolina Application October 16, 1950, Serial No. 190,258

This invention relates to spinning devices, and more particularly to a means and method for reducing the friction between the traveler and traveler ring in a spinning device.

It is Well recognized that the maximum speed of a spinning frame is limited by the maximum speed at which the travelers can successfully operate, and that the speed of the travelers is in turn limited by friction with the rings which results to a large extent from the centrifugal force acting on the travelers during operation.

In accordance with the present invention, means is provided by which the centrifugal force exerted by the traveler against its supporting ring is counteracted by subjecting the traveler to a radially inwardly directed magnetic force. This purpose is accomplished according to the present invention by magnetizing the spindle in such a way that the magnetic force exerts on the traveler a nearly constant attraction whereby the centrifugal force on the moving traveler is at least partially counteracted. In this manner, the friction between the traveler and the ring can be substantially reduced to allow considerably greater operating speeds than have heretofore been possible.

The present invention is described further below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a spinning device arranged according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the spindle illustrated in Fig. 1, taken generally along the line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of the spindle shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the effect of the magnetic attractive force on the traveler;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of a conventional spindle, showing the normal position of the traveler on the ring;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a magnetized body I adapted for constructing the spindle of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the magnetized spindle of the present invention showing a modified arrangement of the magnets.

Referring now in detail to the drawing and more particularly at first to Fig. 1, the spindle of the present invention, shown generally at 8, has a conventional blade III, which extends to the top of the spindle (compare Fig. 2), and a whirl I 2. In twisting and winding the thread onto a carrier (not shown) supported on the spindle 8, a traveler ring II, which is disposed coaxially around spindle 8, in a ring rail (not shown) carries on its upper flange I6 a traveler I through 7 Claims. (Cl. 5775) which the yarn strand is looped and which moves around spindle 8 at a comparatively high speed, depending upon the size of the ring H and the spindle speed.

In conventional spinning frames, the traveler may attain a speed of about 3,000 to 5,900 feet per minute, as a maximum. This maximum traveler speed is limited by the fact that at high speeds, the friction between traveler i8 and rin It may become so great that the horns 20 of the traveler are burned off or the yarn itself may be burned. When operating at high speeds, a small increase in spindle speeds will produce a large increase in the centrifugal force exerted by traveler l8, and consequently, a large increase in the frictional heat generated. In accordance with the present invention, this centrifugal force is counteracted, at least partly, by a radially directed magnetic force which draws, or tends to draw, traveler l8 toward the center of the spindle, to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The magnetic spindle 8 of the present invention is preferably formed by fitting coaxially onto the blade l0 an appropriate number of annular magnets 22 having the poles at the flats, so that adjacent magnets'22 are in abutting relationship or separated only by a thin sheet of non-conducting material when desired. The traveler ring I is formed of a non-magnetic material, since a magnetic ring would become magnetized by induction and would counteract, at least partly, the attraction of the spindle 8 for traveler l8.

The annular magnets 22 may be arranged on the blade [0, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that like poles of adjacent magnets are in contact to set up a large number of individual magnetic fields along the longitudinal axis of spindle 8. In this way, as the traveler I8 is moved vertically along the length of the spindle 8 by the motion of the ring rail, it is subjected to a nearly constant magnetic attraction tending to draw it radially inwardly. If desired, however, the magnets 22 may alternatively be arranged on blade H] with opposite poles adjacent, as illustrated in Fig. 6, in which case, it is necessary to prevent actual contact between the poles of the adjacent magnets by interposing a sheet of non-conducting material 24 between the magnets 22.

In describing the annular magnets 22 as having the poles at the faces, it is realized that the poles may not be exactly at the ends, but, as in the usual case with magnetized bars, may be a short distance from the end. However, it is intended that the poles be as near as possible to the flats of the annular magnets 22.

Although at extremely high speeds, the magnetic attraction may not be suillcient to overcome entirely the centrifugal force exerted by the traveler, there will be a lessening of this force. or partial counteraction, with a corresponding substantial reduction in the friction between the traveler It and ring flange It. Thus, the desired higher traveler speeds will still be made possible.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a spinning frame having a winding spindie and a traveler carried on a traveler ring, the improvement comprising, a plurality of magnets supported on said spindle and disposed to induce a plurality of magnetic fields around said spindle, a traveler ring of non-magnetic material and a traveler of magnetic material supported on said ring in such relation to said spindle that said traveler is urged radially inward by the magnetic forces of said magnets to overcome partially the centrifugal force on said traveler during operation and thereby reduce the friction of said traveler on said ring and accordingly increase the allowable speed of said traveler.

2. The combination with a spinning frame spindle of a plurality of magnets disposed around the peripheral surface of said spindle, a nonmagnetic traveler ring supported in relation to said spindle, and a magnetic traveler on said ring, whereby said traveler is urged toward the spindle by the magnetic forces around said spindle and the centriiugal force exerted by said traveler is at least partially counteracted, thereby reducing the friction between said ring and said traveler.

3. In a spinning device, the improvement comprising a magnetized spindle, a non-magnetic traveler ring supported in operative association with said spindle, and a traveler of magnetic material operatively carried by said ring within the magnetic field of said spindle, whereby the magnetic forces urge said traveler toward said spindle and tend to counteract the centrifugal force urging said traveler outwardly against said ring, thereby reducing the friction between said ring said spindle along the distance traversed by said traveler whereby said traveler is urged radially inwardly and the centrifugal force acting thereon during operation is at least partially counter- 4 acted, thereby decreasing the friction between said ring and said traveler and increasing the allowable traveler speed.

5. In a spinning device, the improvement defined in claim 4 and further characterized in that the magnets are disposed with like poles adjacent like poles.

6. In a spinning frame, the combination with a spindle of a plurality of annular magnets, having their poles at the flats disposed coaxially on said spindle with opposite poles of adjacent magnets in abutting relation, a thin layer of nonconducting material interposed between adjacent magnets, whereby magnetic fields are set up around said spindle, a non-magnetic traveler ring carried in operative association with said spindle, and a magnetic traveler carried by said ring, said traveler being drawn radially inwardly by the magnetic attraction of said spindle, whereby friction between said traveler and said ring is reduced and the allowable traveler speed is increased.

7. In a spinningsystem, the method of reducing friction between the traveler and traveler ring, comprising providing a traveler ring of nonmagnetic materiai, magnetizing the spindle by disposing a plurality of magnets thereon to set up a magnetic attraction between said spindle and said traveler to urge said traveler radially inwardly and counteract at least part of the centrifugal force exerted by said traveler on said ring, whereby friction therebetween is reduced.

' EDWARD S. REID.

No references cited. 

